//------------------------------// // Returning Home // Story: An Earthly Portal // by Nightmare Darkness //------------------------------// The room was silent for a moment as Spike asked his question. Commander Granite and Lieutenant Stride both looked at Spike. "Tell me that was not from Princess Celestia." Granite hoped. "No." Spike began and Granites face seem to relax only slightly before Spike finished. "Princess Twilight sent me this telling of an Escapee named Tirek and that I am to get home as soon as possible." He finished. Granite Stood up shakily before walking to a file cabinet, opening it and removing a bottle of what I assumed to be alcohol and levitating several glasses. The Liquid inside the bottle made my eyebrows raise. It was like a liquid rainbow trapped in a bottle, and as it sloshed around it constantly changed colors but always remained several colors of the rainbow. She placed it on the desk and uncorked it and offered it to Stride who took it gratefully. I looked at the bottle and as she placed it down I read the label as 'Apple's Finest Zap Apple Whisky'. From my limited knowledge of my little pony when I watched it as a show Zap Apples had a long process to be a jam, I could only imagine the process of making Zap Apple whisky. "How did you get that?" Stride asked picking up the glass smelling it before taking a sip and giving an uncharacteristic sharp toothed smile. "It was a promotion gift from Celestia. It was in her stores." She explained as she poured herself a glass. Granite looked at the rest of us offering a drink I politely declined as Gilda nodded and received a glass. "Who is Tirek?" I asked as everyone beside myself and Spike had a glass in hoof or claw. "An old enemy of Equestria." Granite began. "He is a centaur who devours magic to make himself stronger." She continued as she saw my look of confusion. "So this centaur is out and able to devour magic, what makes him so dangerous?" Spike asked and even I could deduce the problem with a centaur that devores magic. "Everything we ponies do is influenced by magic. Our very talents and manipulation of the world around us." Stride explained. "I know that unicorns use it all the time." I chimed in but Granite shook her head. "The three races all have magic. Pegasus ponies can manipulate weather by literally touching the clouds, Earth ponies can cause the earth itself to become more bountiful with harvest as well as some can destroy stones with their bare hooves, Unicorns are most blessed with versatility but without the help of the other races we wouldn't be able to created the best in food production." Granite explained. "Wow I didn't realize." I said surprised. "Tirek takes away that magic from all making them just....powerless." Spike surmised as he realized. "How long has he been locked up?" I inquired. "Well over a thousand years." Granite said and my eyes widened at that. "Wha-how?!" I asked incredulously. "He was locked away by Luna and Celestia in a battle that left them drained but able to confine him within the Island of Tartarus. As I heard it he was lured there by both princesses magic and they were able to subdue him with chains made by humans." Stride said as he took another sip of his drink. I looked at Stride again. "Humans?" I asked surprised. "Yea a bipedal race that were very powerful in their own right but...nopony knows what happened to them." Stride summarized. I looked down at my claws confused but didn't say anything more. "I would like to ask that you give us a platoon to escort us to Canterlot." Stride asked as he finished the Zap Apple Whisky. Granite looked at him a moment. "I feel like I need to go with you I need to be appraised of the situation of Tirek. No doubt there is a hunt for him right now." Granit said. Spike chose then to speak up. "Twilight also mentioned that they have entrusted Discord to find and subdue Tirek." he informed. Granite spate to her left and stood. "Truly the Princesses are swinging for the fences. Trusting Discord will only cause Equestria to fall." Granite said coldly. "Well let us rest for a night and be on our way in the morning." Stride offered and Granite nodded her head. "Ill get the platoon ready and lead it myself leaving my second in charge here. Dismissed." She said and Gilda slammed back the rest of the whisky in her glass as she placed it down. As we filed out of the office I approached Gilda she looked at me with a blank look. "How is your arm?" I asked sheepishly. "It will heal." she said curtly. "Listen I-I'm sorry I wasn't thinking about." I began and she sat on her heels and lifted her claw to silence me and I sat as well. She took in a breath and released it slowly. "that right...you didn't think. I...care about....your well being....you dweeb." She said and if I didn't see it for myself I would think that it was being used as a term of endearment. "Have you apologised?" Spike asked from behind me and I looked at him. "Yea." I said and Gilda punched me in the arm. "Ow, why did you do that?" I asked rubbing the place she punched. "Because your a featherbrained idiot." she said and finished with a smirk. The night was simple we were given cots to sleep on as the wounded were tended to. Seven had perished in the skirmish that day both bat-ponies and pegasi were mourned. I found Kite along with Violet who was sobbing into Kites shoulder. I felt a presence beside me and saw Cloudy. "Duskray was Violets husband." Cloudy said solemnly as a touch of emotion crept into his voice. "I heard that they were trying for a foal..." He said once more as he lowered his head and removed his helm. "I...I don't know what..." I began and he placed a hoof on my shoulder. "I am glad you helped how you did. If not for you who knows who else we might have lost today." He said and I finally looked at him and saw a large jagged scar leading from his left ear down the side of his face to his jaw. His eyes shifted to mine. His cat like golden iris's looked into my hawk ones. "The days ahead will be hard...be sure to keep that strength of heart." He said as he placed his helmet back on and turned away to walk down the hall. I watched him walk away and I looked one last time at Kite and Violet before going my own way to find my cot and try and sleep. The morning came faster then I would have wanted and soon we were ready and now had around forty more escort ponies with Granite leading the way. We took off from Fort Skull in the early morning and were unmolested for the entire trip to the sky of Ponyville as Stride and Granite bayed us farewell saying that they will give there reports about our contribution. Gilda, Spike and I broke through the clouds and saw the town of Ponyville below us and I felt a sense of relief. It had only been a week but the week had been jammed packed with adventure and action that was almost to much for him. The group circled down and landed in front of the Golden Oaks library. Spike hopped down from Gilda's back running to the door throwing it opened and a sound of happy reunion could be heard. Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity all filtered out of the library and seemed to lose some steam of happiness at the sight of Gilda. "Gilda?" Pinkie said with a unpinkie like glare. Gilda didn't say anything but looked away giving a click of her tongue. I looked between them and I could see that Twilight and Rarity both also didn't give warm welcomes. I stepped forward. "You should thank her." I stated and they looked at me. "You know what she did to Fluttershy?" Pinkie shot back. "No, nor do I care. She saved Spikes life multiple times as well as mine. So if you don't like her were going to have a problem." I said and this caused them all to look at her again. Twilight was the first to speak. "Gilda...I know we have had a rocky start....but thank you for helping Spike and Feather Beak." She said with an uncomfortable smile. "Yea...no problem." she said as she sat on her heels. I placed a claw on her shoulder showing I had her back. She looked at me over her shoulder and her features softened. Pinkie approached us and stopped. "You know what this calls for?" she began and my face deadpanned. "A party?" I guessed and she jumped up into the air making confetti explode from god knows where. "A PARTY!" she summarized ecstatically.